The SA Cup is set to commence in Kimberley on Human Rights Day.
The new competition will feature a total of 46 matches, officially kicking off the local provincial season for 2024. Notably, it will include five Sunday afternoon fixtures held nationwide.
The SA Cup serves as a crucial link between pre-season and the start of the Currie Cup Premier and First Division competitions, replacing the Mzansi Challenge from 2023 onwards. Ten provincial teams (excluding those with a Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchise team) will compete over nine consecutive weeks.
In 2025, the top four SA Cup teams will advance to the Currie Cup Premier Division, joining the four Vodacom URC franchises, while the remaining six teams will compete in the First Division.
The opening match of the SA Cup will kick off at 15:00 in Kimberley on Thursday and will be broadcast on the SuperSport Schools streaming platform. This game marks the first of five matches scheduled between Thursday and Sunday, with two games airing on SuperSport’s linear channels and the remaining three streamed live on SuperSport Schools.
Following Thursday’s opener, two matches are set for Friday: the Phangela SWD Eagles will host the Airlink Pumas at Outeniqa Park in George at 15:30, followed by the Toyota Cheetahs taking on the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers at 18:00.
Saturday will see the Valke playing Eastern Province in Gqeberha, while on Sunday, the NovaVit Griffons will face the Border Bulldogs in Welkom at 15:00, concluding the first round of action.
After the league phase, the top two teams will compete in the SA Cup Final on the weekend of May 25.
Recapping last season, the Toyota Cheetahs won the Currie Cup Premier Division title over the Airlink Pumas, while the Sanlam Boland Kavaliers emerged victorious in the Currie Cup First Division by defeating the Valke, who were champions in the Mzansi Challenge, in the final.
